The Australian Boomers defeated Puerto Rico 90-75 in their third exhibition game before the Orleans Olympics, but in the process suffered a scare due to the injury of a key NBA star.
Australian fans had their hearts in their throats when injury-prone NBA star Dante Exum landed awkwardly in the first quarter, colliding with teammate Duop Reath and apparently injuring his neck.
Exum was removed from the game as a precaution to ensure his availability for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Josh Giddey led the Boomers with an impressive performance, scoring 19 points, grabbing four rebounds and providing five assists.
Giddey, who recently joined the Chicago Bulls, continued to demonstrate his prowess as an offensive cornerstone for the Australian team.
Despite an early turnover, Giddey showed off his long-range shooting ability, hitting two of three attempts from beyond the arc.
The Boomers demonstrated a complete team effort, with five players scoring in double figures.
Patty Mills added 15 points, hitting five of nine three-pointers. Jock Landale added 12 points and six rebounds, while Joe Ingles was perfect from the three-point line, scoring 11 points.
Australian duo Reath and Joe Ingles tend to Dante Exum after he suffered a neck injury
Josh Green, who replaced Exum in his absence, scored 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and dished out two assists.
Green’s three-point shooting and ability to run the floor were crucial for the Boomers.
Dyson Daniels continued to lead defensively, showcasing his skills in the warm-up games.
Duop Reath, who played 11 minutes, and Will Magnay, who played just over 12 minutes, also contributed after being benched in the first two games against the United States and Serbia.
The Boomers’ teamwork was evident as the team combined for 30 assists and scored 21 points on fast breaks.
Turnovers remain a concern, however: the team committed 15 in this game.
Despite this, the Boomers have shown they are prepared by holding their opponents to less than 76 points in consecutive games.
Jack McVeigh, who recently signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, scored nine points off the bench.
Dyson Daniels added five points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block.
Reath, who had been out of the rotation for the past two games, played as Landale’s backup, competing with Magnay for the backup center spot. The lopsided win allowed coach Brian Goorjian to give his players more playing time.
This game continued the Boomers’ promising preparation, after a challenging game against the United States and a victory over Serbia.
Australia’s final warm-up match will be against host nation France, featuring stars Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, before opening its Olympic campaign on July 27 against Spain.
Australia’s inclusion in the “Group of Death” at the Olympics, alongside Greece, Canada and Spain, makes its path to a medal more difficult.
However, the Boomers remain one of the top contenders to advance from this group, and their performance in warm-up games has shown they are a team to be reckoned with.